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Northeast Grip It & Rip It 7on7 Qualifying Tournament ABOUT: Grip It & Rip It brings the best high school football teams from Connecticut and New York together for two days of 7-on-7 passing. The 36 teams participating include several state, conference, and division champions, making it one of the toughest 7-on-7 events in the country.DID YOU KNOW?: Hosted by the New Canaan football team, Grip It & Rip It begins its sixth year with a new double-elimination format. Teams will participate in pool play Friday, determining seeding for Saturday's double elimination tournament. The winner qualifies for the National Select 7on7 Championships in Hoover, AL.AREA TEAMS PARTICIPATINGFCIAC: Brien McMahon, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, St. Joseph, Stamford, Trinity Catholic, Trumbull, Warren HardingSCC: Derby, Fairfield PrepSWC: Brookfield, Immaculate, Newtown, New Fairfield, New Milford, WestonPrep: Canterbury

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When the New Canaan football team hosted its first Grip It & Rip It 7 on 7 camp six years ago, there were four teams, one field and the set up time was measured in minutes.

Now, six years later, the event features 36 teams from Connecticut and New York playing on four fields, spans two days, requires dozens of volunteers and the planning begins in January.

"It's the biggest one in the northeast," said John Marinelli, who along with fellow New Canaan assistant coach Chris Silvestri is the co-executive camp director. "I think the more you are around the game, the most you invest yourself as a coach and player. We've always gone to 7 on 7 camps to try and get our kids together and work as a team. I'm surprised how this one has grown and become a marquee passing camp."

This year's Grip It & Rip It begins this afternoon, with each team playing four games in pool play for seeding on Saturday, when all entrants will take part in a double-elimination playoff.

"This is the first time we have made it a two-day event," said Marinelli, who is the Rams' offensive coordinator, and whose father, Lou, is the team's head coach. "We went to one last year in Alabama that was three days. Most of the best ones are about player safety. This gives all teams the chance to really play but also rest. We are different from every camp in the country. We are the only one that places all 36 teams."

Trumbull was the runner-up at the first camp, in 2008, then won the championship the following two years.

"This is the only one we do," said Bob Maffei, the Eagles' coach. "We do the St. Joseph passing league, but this is the only one where we compete. This one is a lot of fun. Different teams from different states."

The winning team will receive an automatic bid to the National Select 7 on 7 Championships in Hoover, Ala.

There will be 27 Connecticut schools participating, including 11 from the FCIAC. The nine New York teams features Shenendehowa High School, which is coming all the way from Clifton Park in the Saratoga area.

Though head coaches are not permitted to coach their teams, a number of the schools involved have compelling storylines. In a season with unparalleled coaching turnovers, arguably the two biggest moves involve John Murphy moving from Masuk, where he won three state titles, to New Milford, and Jack Cochran, a lightning rod for both success and controversy, taking over at Warren Harding.

Both New Milford and Harding will be competing in the camp.

"I'd have to say Grip It & Rip It is the best one around," said Greenwich coach Rich Albonizio. "They're very organized, they definitely get some good teams in there. It gets better and better every year."

The proliferation of spread offenses has been the catalyst for the growth of 7 on 7 events, which is an all passing game without the use of linemen. It is also a way for football to take a step toward other sports, like summer baseball and AAU basketball.

"There's nothing really for football but 7 on 7," Albonizio said. "It's great for the secondary and great for the offense to get the timing down."

Danbury went to the spread offense last season. It will be making its first appearance today at the New Canaan event.

"This is the second year running this offense and one thing we decided is we needed to practice," Hatters coach Dan Donovan said. "This 7 on 7, especially Grip It & Rip It, has taken on a life of its own. In two days you get a minimum of six games against excellent competition."

John Marinelli said the development of the camp has become a labor of love.

"This is all due to hours and hours of work by our staff," Marinelli said. "There's not better place, in our opinion, on the east coast to have this event. We have the facilities, an athletic director that supports us. It is an unbelievable thing for our staff. It is almost a bonding experience. My dad is trying to make this area better for football. It's not about New Canaan. And football is rising here, the competition is rising, and that is a tribute to the coaching in the FCIAC."